Serene Reflections
by Blueberry Blaster
Summary: [SPD Slight Spoiler for Endings Pt.II] After Grumm's defeat, admist the chaos of celebration, Bridge continues his conversation with Kat Manx over coffee. [Epilogue added]
1. Reflections in the Zord Bay

**Serene Reflections**

A.N: First time writing for Power Rangers so please tell me anything I should know to improve. I haven't seen many fics with interaction between Kat Manx and anyone else other than Cruger, so I thought this up. Not much else to say here, so I'll see you at the bottom.

* * *

Bridge Carson was and still is a psychic. He had known and lived with this fact for years, without a single problem, much like most of the rest of his teammates; perhaps save for Z Delgado, who had to suffer humiliation at the hands of children her age. 

However, Bridge didn't need to be a psychic to tell that everyone in the rec room was happy. _Why shouldn't they be_, he thought. Grumm, the Troobian puppet-emperor who had been terrorizing galaxies, and most recently, Newtech City, was defeated and contained less than two days ago. Isinia Cruger, long-lost wife of Anubis 'Doggie' Cruger, was found and re-united. And of Dr. Katherine 'Kat' Manx, the head scientist and technician in the Delta Base? She had her hands full, courtesy of five exceptionally battered and bruised S.W.A.T. Flyers.

Back in the lounge room, there was a flurry of activity. A few cadets were at the arcade consoles lining the walls, and a trio of cadets were playing lightball. It seemed as if that everyone was celebrating. There were talks about fireworks, and a massive ball to be held. This, of course, had prompted an overly-enthusiastic response from Syd; she almost instantly went off about dresses, and the need for something to wear to the ball.

This in turn had prompted an immediate response from Sky and Bridge-they groaned in despair at the thought of wandering the expanses of Newtech Mall, treated like a pack animal than a respectable S.P.D. Ranger, while Syd pranced around in the mall. The two instantly began to scrounge their minds of a reason, any reason, to get out of a possible shopping trip.

"Syd, don't you think you're taking this a little _too_ far?" quickly questioned Sky.

"What do you mean by that, Sky?" asked Syd.

"I mean, think about this. There is no confirmation that there even is going to be a ball. And besides, don't you already have a closet full of dresses?" Sky responded.

"And don't you have a closet full of uniforms?" shot back Syd, as Sky's cheeks turned to match the stripe of colour down his right sleeve.

"Ouch. That's got to hurt, Sky," laughed Bridge, as he trotted across the room, ducking once to allow a glowing sphere of light to fly over his head, and continued over to the food synthesiser.

At the same time, the door to the room slid open with a hiss, and Z stepped in, also ducking to narrowly avoid the same lightball that Bridge had ducked moments before. She then bounced towards where Sky and Syd were sitting, and they were apparently caught up in a vivid discussion. She landed heavily on the couch, sitting close to Sky.

"What's up, Z?" asked Syd, halting her debate about the usefulness closet stuffed full of uniforms, and the usefulness a closet stuffed full of dresses, to turn to her friend, who seemed to be happier than usual.

"Nothing."

"Really? I refuse to believe you are this happy just because Grumm was defeated."

"Maybe it's just that I won't have to spend another night listening to you rabble about stuff while I attempt to sleep."

"Hey!" Syd pouted, and then added "What do you mean?"

"Nah, blondie, just joking," Z replied. "Hey Bridge," she added as Bridge made his way over to where the new B-Squad was sitting, holding a plate that was teetering worryingly.

"Hi Z," Bridge greeted her, as he cautiously sat down on a couch opposite of the couch where both Sky and Z were seated on, balancing his plate of goodies, before setting it down on the coffee table in front of the gathering of couches upon which the B-Squad were seated on. Settling himself in, Bridge grabbed his plate of gold and rested it on his lap. Grabbing a piece from the rather large pile of toast, he quickly bit down on the delicacy.

"So, what happened?" he asked Z.

"Cruger's giving us the week off. Said we deserved it after fighting almost non-stop." Answered Z.

"A week?" Syd practically squealed, forgetting all about the possible ball. "Are you pulling my leg?" she asked.

"Nope."

"A week off. Cool. So what will you be doing in that week?" Bridge asked.

"Well, I'm not really sure. I think that I'll visit my mother and father for about five days, and then get back here by the last day we have off," answered Syd.

"And if the ball is on before you come back?" questioned Sky.

"If that happens Sky, you guys will warn me won't you?" Syd asked, looking worried.

"Of course we will Syd," soothed Z. Sky glowered at her. _Damn_ _you Z, you have condemned us to a trip to Newtech Mall_, thought Sky.

"And you, Sky? What will you be doing?"

"Well…ahhh….ummmm," Sky attempted to say something, but his mouth couldn't form the words. He actually looked rather shifty, Bridge realised.

Sky opened his mouth again, and made another attempt to speak, before Z elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ouch! Alright, alright." He took a deep breath and sighed. "Z thought it would be nice to take me out for a while to 'bring the human side of me out' as she so elegantly put," he finished with another glare at Z.

"Oh my God!" Syd squealed. "A date! You two together! That's sooooo cute!"

"Congrats, Sky," said Bridge through a mouthful of toast. He was on his third piece, and the plate was still piled to the heavens.

"Thanks," remarked Z, before another copy of Z appeared right next to Bridge, and swiped a piece of buttered up toast from the top of Bridge's pile.

"Hey!" cried Bridge, as the copy walked over, and handed the real Z, still seated at the couch the piece of toast, before disappearing.

"Sorry Bridge, thanks Bridge," the real Z apologized.

Bridge gave a sigh, though he couldn't help a smile as he finished off the slice, and grabbed another.

"So Bridge, are you going anywhere?" asked Sky.

"Nah, I think I'll stay here. You know, upgrade-" that this point Syd let out a cough that sounded suspiciously like _wreck_ "-my computer, and perhaps work on R.I.C. a little."

Z sighed. "Alright. By the way guys, Jack's doing fine. He mentioned something about a date with Ally coming up in the very near future," she revealed.

"Good for him," answered Sky.

The B-Squad cadets sat in silence for awhile, save for the crunching of the toast, and the shouts of the cadets playing lightball, which still continued to zoom around the room, miraculously missing the seated B-Squad a majority of the time.

Z gave another sigh. "Well, I'll be off. Gotta change for tonight," she said with a wink at Sky. He smiled back.

Syd bounced up as well. "I gotta go and pack my bags. I think I'll be leaving sometime tonight or early tomorrow morning," she said as she walked out and into the room she shared with Z.

Sky and Bridge were now the only ones still seated. "Are you sure you'll be alright here by yourself for a while, Bridge?" Sky asked.

"Yeah, sure, I'll be fine."

"Alright, you take care of yourself," Sky said as he too left, leaving Bridge sitting alone. Well, alone except for his toast, but they weren't going to be there forever. Bridge was an Olympic class toast eater, and the two slices left were running on borrowed time.

Bridge gave a sigh as he stared at the doorway, and finished another slice. He winced as he heard the sound of something breaking. He quickly grabbed his last piece, and made a beeline for the door. Something told him that Commander Cruger, or worse, the janitor, was not going to be happy when they walked in. With that thought, and the countless other times when he and the others had broken things in the lounge room, Bridge made for somewhere far, _far_ away from the room in question.

* * *

In the Command Centre, the heart of the Delta Command Base, Dr. Katherine Manx stood at the main control console, a circular podium ringed with screens and keypads. There was always a low buzz, and the sounds of the screens or consoles beeping, and the sound of the keys being tapped at. Commander Cruger was pacing around the room, every now and then looking over the shoulder of a technician operating at a station, before walking back to his chair and seating himself down. He let out a frustrated sigh. Kat's ears pricked up as they picked up the sound, and she walked over to his seat. 

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"No, nothing."

His attempt at brushing off the question failed, and Kat tried again. "Nothing? Seems that _something_ is wrong, if the Commander is walking around in circles and muttering to himself."

He let out another sigh, and resigned himself to tell Kat. "Isinia wants me to get away from my duties as the Commander for tonight."

The feline blinked, surprised at his relatively simple dilemma. "That's all?"

Cruger let out a growl. "Yes, unless you have something to add to that?"

Kat smirked. "Sounds like a very simple decision."

"Perhaps it maybe for you, but you aren't the one with the wife…or husband. Maybe I shouldn't have given the Rangers the week off…"

"No Doggie. They need the rest, and besides, you might as well catch up with your wife. And besides, who said that I needed a husband?" Kat retorted.

Cruger relented. "Alright then Kat, you win. I'll take the night off, and be back on duty tomorrow morning."

"Don't worry Doggie. It's not like Grumm's going to escape during the night. Just relax, enjoy your time with your wife and I'll take care of the rest."

"Thank you, Kat. If only I could order you to get some time off as well. You've worked harder than any of us, and you deserve it."

Kat shrugged. "I wish. There's just too much to be done, and I can't exactly leave it to Boom, can I?" she said with a low laugh.

"True, true. Well, see you tomorrow morning Kat. Can't keep Isinia waiting."

"Goodnight sir," Kat called after him as he left the Command Centre.

She sighed. Raking through her mind, she eventually decided to give Boom the night off, if only to keep him away from her lab while she was repairing the Zords. She didn't hate Boom. She never really could bring herself to do it. She left the Command Centre, minutes after Cruger had exited.

* * *

Bridge wandered around the hallways of the Delta Command Base aimlessly. The Delta Command Base was large, and therefore it had a great deal of hallways to be walked. _That was good_, Bridge mused, _when you need to walk around thinking_. _With all this space, why walk in circles_, he pondered. In his right hand, he held his final piece of buttered-up toast. Experience had taught him that the final piece from a pile was always the greatest, therefore, had to be the most savoured. He slowly took a small bit, all the while walking around. 

His feet took him to the entrance of Kat's lab, and he hesitated, thinking of an excuse in case Kat walked in right after he did and saw him standing before a mess, before going in. As he walked in, he half expected the place to be trashed, as was typical of it, especially whenever Boom was fiddling around with gadgets in the lab. Instead, the lab was spotless. There was the occasional gadget lying around, but it looked like Boom wasn't experimenting. Stranger still, Kat's omni-presence around the lab was also missing. Wondering where the feline scientist was, he looked around, and deduced that she was most likely in the Command Centre. Taking another look around the room, he left, taking a bite of the slice of toast whilst doing so.

Bridge again wandered. This time, he walked over to an elevator, and after a brief moment of musing where to go next, he pressed the button to take him down to the Zord Bay. The screen mounted on the panel switched to a projection of a numerical keypad, and prompted Bridge for his access code. Bridge punched in his code, and the computer processed briefly before giving off a _beep_, and the elevator descended.

While the elevator descended, Bridge, still slowly chewing the piece of toast, which was half-eaten by now, whistled an indistinct tune. He continued to whistle, and it was very likely that if anyone was unfortunate to be in the elevator with him, they would be on the verge of throttling the Blue Ranger. Eventually, the elevator did stop, and the doors opening with a tune. Walking out, he entered his access code again, and the titanic doors slowly slid apart.

Inside the Zord Bay, the enormous room was feeling rather empty. It was understandable, given that the bay had once housed up to eleven Zords, was now accommodating six. Walking deeper into the bay, he was surprised when he heard a fizzing sound, like a fuse being lit or a blowtorch in action. Walking closer to the sound, he discovered that it originated from S.W.A.T. Flyer 1. The Flyer was docked, and was currently ringed by three tiers of walkways like every other Zord in the bay. Each walkway itself had a multitude of extendable platforms that could be moved, and currently, one such platform on the lowest walkway was underneath the badly damaged Flyer. As he walked closer, he accidentally kicked over a can lying around. "Ooops," he muttered. The sound stopped, and he was surprised when Kat's head appeared. She was apparently repairing the Flyer.

"Ummm, hi Kat," he called out.

"Hello Bridge. What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Nothing, really. Well, unless you count walking, which many people don't do for some reason. I mean they don't count walking as something, not they don't walk at all, because everyone has to walk at some stage-"

His ramble was abruptly cut off by Kat. "Yeah, I get it Bridge. If you want, you can come up here if you want to talk."

He blinked. "Alright. Ummm, how do I get up there?" he put forward, rather timidly. Kat gave a smile, which showed off her razor sharp fangs.

"There's the stairwell over there," she pointed out.

"Oh. Alright Kat." He began his walk, and ascent up the stairwell as Kat slid underneath the Flyer once again. Grabbing the blowtorch, she set out to repair a little bit more of the Flyer. Once her sensitive ears had picked up Bridge's footsteps, she finished patching up a section of the underside before turning the blowtorch off, and clambering out- a problem for normal humans, given the tight confines of space underneath the S.W.A.T. Flyer, but was nothing to her, given her exceptional agility and flexibility as a feline and moved the platform back to the walkway. She walked back to the walkway.

Bridge watched as Kat wiped the back of her hands on a rag before turning to look at Bridge. "So Bridge, what do you want or need?" she asked.

"Oh, I don't really need anything. Maybe a person to talk to? If you're not too busy, that is," he quickly put in. Kat gave a laugh.

"Not really. I was just fixing the S.W.A.T. Flyers. They took quite the beating from Omni."

"So you wouldn't mind me being here?"

"Not at all. I could use some company." Kat stretched, before walking towards a control panel, which Bridge was leaning against.

"Toast?" he offered, standing upright and holding out the almost finished slice as she approached. She raised her eyebrows and gave him a sceptical look.

"No thanks." Bridge shrugged and quickly devoured the rest. Kat couldn't help a smile- he was the first one on the original three member team of B-Squad that she had gotten to know personally. Sky was to strict and adhered to protocol so much that he wouldn't socialise with a superior, namely her and Commander Cruger. Syd was rather caught up in her own world at that time, and didn't notice her much.

She still remembered her first meeting with Bridge; he was being pushed around, and was attempting to make amends by offering toast to the offenders. Needless to say, the offenders had a rather unpleasant week after she had caught them.

Pushing away the past memories, she accessed the terminal, as Bridge peered over her shoulder. The screen displayed the diagnostic of S.W.A.T. Flyer 1. The repairs were mostly complete, save for a few loose wires and the like. With that in mind, she walked over to the Flyer, and yanked a panel on the side loose, revealing a part of the interior.

Bridge watched as Kat connected several wires and did all sorts of things to the S.W.A.T. Flyer. "You know, Kat, I never really thought that you of all people would be down here, fixing Zords. I thought that was the technician's job?"

"Perhaps it may be, but I haven't really had the time so far to get my hands into the S.W.A.T. Flyers," she answered.

"Why not? Didn't you create the Flyers?" Bridge was confused.

"Yes, but after that fiasco at Galaxy Command, I've never had the time to get my hands dirty, so to speak," Kat cleared up for Bridge. "Besides, I never really liked the place."

Now Bridge was extremely confused. "But Galaxy Command is like the dream place of almost every S.P.D. employee. Why didn't you like it?"

Kat gave a sad sigh. "I suppose it was because it just didn't feel like home, I guess. That and the fact that if you are a head of a department, you just sit behind a desk and read through reports, and then you deal with nightmarish administrative meetings with other heads and the Supreme Commander. I prefer working with my hands and actually developing the technology rather than reading and filing reports."

"Home? Wasn't your homeworld like, destroyed or something?" Bridge caught a flicker of sadness on Kat's face, and immediately attempted to retract his statement. "Sorry if that brought up any bad memories, you know, I kinda said it without thinking, and you know me, how I sometimes do that kind of stuff…"

"It's alright Bridge. I suppose I would have to eventually talk about it sometime," said Kat, as she gave a smile. "The Zord Bay isn't the best of places to have a good conversation. How about we meet somewhere else, perhaps somewhere less formal?"

Bridge pondered in deep thought for a moment, before coming up with an answer. "How about a coffee shop?"

"Sure Bridge. As long as it's not a Starbucks," Kat laughed, followed by Bridge. "Give me a few minutes to finish this, and then I need to change. How about I meet you in the lobby about ten minutes from now?"

"Sure. I rather not go in my S.P.D. uniform. The other's will think that Sky's starting to rub off me." He sped away, climbing down the stairwell once again. Kat watched him leave, following him with her eyes until the doors to the Zord Bay slid open, and he walked out of the Zord Bay, with a final wave to Kat before entering the elevator and rising to the top of the Delta Command Base.

She returned the wave just before he left, and turned back to the Flyer. It was almost completely repaired. _The others can wait_, she decided. Having replaced the panel, she too walked out of the Zord Bay, and to the elevator. Kat hit the switch for the overhead lights, and the Zord Bay was soon bathed in darkness, as Kat strolled to the elevator. It wasn't good to keep Bridge waiting. The doors to the elevator opened, and she entered it and turned to face the Zord Bay. Kat hit the button to the floor on which her quarters were located, and the elevator rose. As Kat stepped out of the elevator, Kat thought to herself that life was going to be interesting, perhaps a little strange, but definitely interesting.

* * *

A.N: So folks, here we are, end of the story. So, leave comments and reviews, and please feel free to give constructive criticism which is always welcome. Flames, no. If you're going to review, don't flame. It's a waste of yours and my time. Also, any spelling errors about Newtech City are due to conflicting accounts. Alright, see you next time. And hey…..second chapter is imminent... 


	2. Conversations over Coffee

Serene Reflections

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers, yadda yadda yadda. I'm sure you've heard it all before.

A.N: Well, the response to the first part was greater than I expected. Alright, so here's part two of 'Serene Reflections'. Originally, this was going to be a single chapter spanning around five thousand words, but got cut down to a pair of chapters about three thousand words each instead. Hope you enjoy reading this chapter, and remember to review please. And yes, Bridge and Kat are drinking coffee this time of night. After all, she needs a caffeine boost to work through the night….

* * *

Bridge entered the quarters that he solely occupied. He had once roomed with Sky, but with Sky now off acting as Red Ranger, he was left alone. _At least Syd and Z are still roommates_, he thought. The Blue Ranger sought companionship a lot, and he never really enjoyed being alone. It was one reason why he had wandered around the hallways of the Delta Command Base, which in turn had led him to the Zord Bay, which in turn led to a rather surprising development with Kat Manx. 

Bridge rummaged around the drawers and the sole closet on his side of the room. While he could have taken the whole room, he still only took up half the room out of habit. While he rummaged around, his mind wandered and panicked. _What should I wear_, wondered Bridge. He wondered if it was better coming late and being overdressed, or early and being undressed. His mind veered back to the conversation they just had.

"_The Zord Bay isn't the best of places to have a good conversation. How about we meet somewhere else, perhaps somewhere informal?" _

"_How about a coffee shop?" _

"_Sure Bridge. As long as it's not a Starbucks," Kat laughed. "__Give me a few minutes to finish this, and then I need to change. How about I meet you in the lobby about ten minutes from now?"_

_Ten minutes_. With that thought in mind, and a glance at the clock, which revealed the time was around six o'clock, he rushed to find a pair of clothes, before throwing them on. He found a green shirt, as well as a blue jacket. Throwing on the horribly mismatched pair of clothing, as well as a pair of jeans, Bridge hurried out of his quarters.

Outside, he ran into Syd, who was carrying a duffel bag, which was apparently stuffed full, as shown by the numerous bulges in the bag.

"Whoa! Sorry Syd," Bridge apologized as he helped Syd get to her feet, picking up her bag and holding it out.

"It's alright Bridge. Nothing broken. Thanks," she said as she accepted her bag. She looked closer at Bridge. "Where are you going?" she questioned, starting to move into gossip-mode.

"Ummm, did you get a flight already?" Bridge also asked, desperately attempting to avoid Syd's question by countering with another. The attempt failed.

"No Bridge, I asked you first. So tell me, are you going somewhere?" _Syd would make a great interrogator if she turned this kind of attention to a criminal_, Bridge thought absent-mindedly. Giving up avoiding the question, Bridge tried pleading to Syd.

"Please, Syd, I'm going to be late," he pleaded.

"You're going to be even later if you don't tell me," announced Syd. "Ahh, so you _are_ going somewhere. A date Bridge? Come on Bridge, tell me please?"

Bridge caved in. "Alright, alright." He took a deep breath. "I'm not going on a date Syd. However, I'm going to meet Kat somewhere to discuss a few things. There, now, can you tell me where are you going?"

Syd looked surprised. "You're going out with Kat?" she let out a cheer, and wrapped her arms around Bridge's neck. "More people together! Go Bridge!" she very nearly shouted.

"Uhh, thanks Syd. So, are you going to tell me where you are going?" Bridge asked, prying Syd off.

"Oh yeah. Well, I'm going to my parent's place. They know I'm coming, and I think some cousins are there as well. I'll definitely be back before the end of the week," she added.

"Oh. How did you get a flight booked so quickly?" Bridge asked.

"Well, there aren't many flights headed out of Newtech because of all the celebrations happening. So, it was easy to get one, plus, being part S.P.D. helps," she added with a wink.

"Alright. Well, have a safe trip, and a temporary goodbye, because we will see each other again, and some goodbyes are permanent, so a temporary goodbye should do, right?"

Syd smiled. "Sure Bridge. Of course a temporary goodbye would do."

"Alright then. By the way Syd, you wouldn't happen to have the time, would you?"

"I do have the time. Here," she said, showing her watch to Bridge. He peered closely, before letting out a yelp when he realised that he was going to be late in about two minutes time. "Oh no. I'm going to be late! Gotta go, see you later Syd!"

"OK. Have fun, and good luck with Kat!" Syd called after him as he dashed down the hall, almost running headlong into a pair of technicians. Syd smiled, as she hefted her bag and walked down to the opposite end of the hall, remembering to get Peanuts as she had forgotten to pack him before. It seemed as if everyone was getting together these days. First Sky and Z, now perhaps Bridge and Kat. Syd was quite happy for Sky and Z though.

Contrary to rumours, she wasn't jealous of Z. Syd knew that herself and Sky would never really be happy with each other. Their personalities were just too different, and their wants were different. In short; they could have had a relationship, but Syd really doubted if it would manifest it itself. With that cheerful thought, she went back to get Peanuts. She made a mental note to drill Bridge about his 'date' when she got back.

* * *

Kat was used to waiting. Every time something broke and needed a part that was produced off Earth, Kat had to send an order form, and even that was a time-consuming process. Kat had vast reserves of patience, which was virtually a requirement when she was working with Doggie or Boom. It also came in handy when waiting for parts to arrive. Despite having an S.P.D. presence, they were often last on the waiting list. They received everything last, and it was infuriating at best. 

Kat sighed, and sat down on a bench. Every cadet who passed her gave her a glance, and Kat even caught a few staring at her for longer than necessary. The ones Kat caught quickly turned away. Kat had a rather uncomfortable feeling in her stomach, and she attempted to identify the problem. It took a second for Kat to realise that she was nervous. 'Butterflies in the stomach', was the term the humans had for this feeling. _This isn't a date_, Kat scolded herself. But why did she keep thinking that it was? Kat's last date had been in her final year of the Science Academy, before they had a falling out.

Kat was dressed exceptionally differently than to the rather more formal clothing she wore around the Base. Dressed simply in a white T-shirt that just barely reached her hips and a pair of jeans, Kat looked remarkably ordinary for one of the most important people at the Base.

Kat's ears pricked up as she heard one of the elevators arrive, followed by the sound of someone running flat out. Kat smiled and turned to face Bridge as he ran towards her. "Right on time, Bridge," she commented as Bridge skidded to a halt in front of her. Bridge just nodded, breathing deeply as he did so.

"You…look…great…Kat," Bridge gasped.

"Thanks Bridge. So, if you are ready?" Kat asked.

"Yep. Ummm, I'm not too undressed am I?" Bridge asked. Kat scrutinised him, before shaking her head.

"You look really good Bridge," Kat reassured him. She caught a glimpse at a green shirt before he zipped up his blue jacket. "Problems with identity?" Kat teased. Bridge flushed red.

"Well, I couldn't find a blue shirt, and the green one was the cleanest I have, and then I was in a rush, so I grabbed the first jacket I could, and…"

"No need to tell me everything, Bridge," Kat said. "So where are we going?" Kat asked as they walked out of the Delta Command Base's entrance, past a sea of milling people and aliens alike, some wearing an S.P.D. uniform, others simply garbed in civilian wear, much like Kat and Bridge.

"How about the Dusk café? Syd took all of us there once, and it had some nice food and drinks. And it serves everyone, human or alien," said Bridge.

"Fine by me. How far is it?" asked Kat.

"It's in Newtech Square." Bridge answered. The pair fell into silence as they continued on their way towards their destination. The walk took little over fifteen minutes, but once there, they were met with a spectacular sight.

Newtech Square was the hub of almost all of the Newtech entertainment and shopping. Newtech Mall was the enormous complex directly in the middle of Newtech Square, surrounded by restaurants, shops and all sorts of entertainment. There was a reason why Syd loved coming here.

The Dusk Café was located near the Mall, its neon sign glowing brightly. The air was warm and humid, and as a result many of the patrons of the restaurants and cafés were dining or drinking outside. Bridge and Kat walked over to the Dusk Café, where a waitress met them.

Given the amount of restaurants around, it was relatively simple to gain a table for two outside, among the other patrons. Sitting down, the pair started to talk.

"So, about your homeworld Kat," Bridge started.

"It was destroyed Bridge. Wiped off the face of the galaxy. If you went there now, all that you would find is perhaps a few pieces of debris," answered Kat.

"Oh. I'm, ah, sorry to hear that," said Bridge.

"Don't worry about it. I've gotten over it. Besides, Earth is home now, and it's quite nice."

The waitress came by again, and this time prompted them for their order. After giving the orders to the waitress, Kat and Bridge again fell back into conversation.

"What did you lose when you were attacked?" Bridge asked.

Kat sighed. "When Grumm attacked, I lost…everything. I lost my home, my sister…"

Bridge interrupted. "Hey, hey, hey, hold on a sec, you have a sister? You never told us that."

"That's because I never really liked to talk about my old life. You remember when I told Doggie that a team keeps no secrets? Guess who's been keeping secrets," Kat chuckled. Bridge laughed as well.

"How could I forget that? Well, I suppose amnesia could make me forget, or something really exciting could make me forget as well…"

Kat was smiling, amused at Bridge's ramblings. "Yes, Bridge, but I think that not many of us could forget the recent events. Anyway, enough about my old life. The past is the past, and nothing can change that."

"Yeah. So much has changed ever since Grumm first came along."

Kat smirked. Although no-one would want a visit from Grumm, let alone an extended visit, it seemed as if that Grumm's siege of Earth had done some good. "Bridge, you remember before Grumm came along how dysfunctional B-Squad was?"

Bridge cringed. He could still remember many arguments between Sky and Syd. "How could I forget that? I still remember waking up to an argument, and walking into as many. But they've been better lately, at least since Syd and Z have started arguing," Bridge mused. Kat just shook her head, amused. The conversation stopped for a brief moment when the waitress again came up and gave Kat and Bridge their drinks. As the two continued to converse, the talk slowly went from topic to topic.

"Kat, when the Delta Base was attacked while we were locked up in Grumm's ship, why didn't you call for help from Lightspeed and the other organisations? Aren't they still around?

"It wouldn't have made a really big difference Bridge. S.P.D. is the most advanced law enforcement organisation here on Earth. Lightspeed doesn't even _have_ active Rangers anymore," Kat answered.

"Still, couldn't they provide some kind of support?"

"The Aqua Base that is Lightspeed's headquarters is now little more than a research facility, albeit a highly secretive one. I went there a few years back, to help upgrade their systems a bit with their resident technology chief. The Zords, though they are still there, are inferior to ours, and even to many of the robots you fought, in terms of firepower and technology. Their best function as of yet would probably be to serve as a distraction," Kat said with a shake of her head.

"So what happened to their Rangers?" Bridge asked. "Sitting back and relaxing?"

"Well, most of them are leading normal civilian lives, most of them with a child or two," confirmed Kat. The topic of Rangers led Bridge to his next question.

"What do you think Omega's doing now?" Bridge asked, just as Kat was about to take a drink. Kat, surprised by Bridge's question, put down the glass.

"Not sure. Hopefully happy somewhere in the future," she stated.

"Seems like everyone's becoming a Ranger these days. First us, then Jack and Z, and then Cruger, Sam and Nova." Bridge ticked off his gloved fingers as he rattled off the people who had become Ranger. "Wait a sec; you became a Ranger too, right?"

"Only temporarily, Bridge. I was only a Ranger for an hour, and then I'm back to Kat the scientist."

"Oh yeah, the one hour disposable morpher," Bridge laughed. "Do you still have it?" he questioned.

"Yes, I still have it. It's a little memento if you will, of my stay at Galaxy Command. Also, it's not really disposable Bridge. It still has all the necessary data and functions that are needed to morph," Kat corrected.

Bridge looked confused. "But then why is it temporary, if it has all the data and what not needed to morph?"

"It's a temporary morpher. It has a limited power source, which burns up after a total of one hour. Your morpher, has a much more powerful, permanent power source compared to a temporary one," Kat explained.

"Oh. That explains a lot. But Kat, if it is the power source, couldn't you add a stronger source in the morpher, and then morph?" Bridge asked.

"You know Bridge, I've never really thought of that. However, I don't think it's really necessary for me to become a full-time Ranger. You guys can handle yourselves without me really. And you still have Doggie. He's still a Ranger," Kat replied.

"Yeah, but without Omega and Jack, we're two Rangers short. Who knows? We might need the help sometime," Bridge persisted.

Kat sighed. "I'll think about it. Even then, I would need Doggie's permission to actually do it." Kat raised her glass to her lips, and took a sip. The foaming coffee left a faint white moustache on her upper lip, which was removed with a flick of her tongue. Bridge also took a drink, and watched as a couple, a young man and a woman walked past, laughing. The two reminded him of Sky and Z.

"Who knew Sky and Z of all people would have gotten together," he muttered. Kat's sensitive ears allowed her to hear him. She was only mildly surprised.

"Really? And when did you find out?" Kat asked.

"Only today. This afternoon, when Z came in and told us that we had the week off. I suppose they're out there, having fun," Bridge sighed.

Kat caught the slight change in Bridge's mannerisms. The way Bridge spoke about Sky and Z suggested that something was off.

"Something wrong, Bridge?" Kat asked.

"No, nothing really important."

"Bridge, you can talk to me. Right now I'm not the Chief of Technology. I'm just Kat tonight. So tell me, what's really bothering you?" Kat gently prodded.

"I'm just kinda sad about the fact that everyone seems to have fallen in love with each other. Jack and Ally, Sky and Z and Syd probably has someone back home, while I sit and watch this happen," Bridge confessed, lowering his head. "I'm suppose I'm just an idiot when it comes to girls. What are the chances that I'll find someone who likes me?" Bridge despaired.

Kat was more surprised at Bridge's lack of confidence than his situation. The Blue Ranger had never really shown a lack of confidence in the field, and seeing Bridge like this caused a pang of sadness in her heart.

Kat reached over, and placed a single slender finger beneath Bridge's drooped chin, and gently lifted his head up so he could look her in the eyes. "Don't beat yourself up over this Bridge. Sure, you might not have a girlfriend right now, but I can tell you one thing from experience; life is always unpredictable. A century ago, I didn't even think that I would be here on Earth as a member of S.P.D., and never even thought about becoming a Chief of Technology. So don't give up just yet. Your luck will change, for better or for worse. Why not make the most out of everything now?"

Bridge stared long and hard into Kat's eyes, and realised the truth behind her words. He forced a smile. "Guess I'll just have to wait then, don't I?"

Kat chuckled, and retracted her hand. "Perhaps you won't have to wait too long Bridge. Now, let's finish the drinks before they get cold." The two raised their glasses, clinked them together and drank.

After putting his glass down, Bridge remembered something Jack had said along time ago. "Kat?" he prompted.

"Hmmm?"

"Are you really one hundred and forty seven years old?" Bridge asked.

Kat looked up, surprise adorning her features. "Who told you that?"

"The Commander did, back when we found Sam. That was when he told us where we got our genetic powers. Jack thought that you were only around twenty years old. We all did," answered Bridge.

"I see. Well, I am a hundred and forty seven Earth years old, if you want to know. Did Jack really think I was anout twenty years old? Remind me to thank him," Kat laughed.

"Then why do you look like you really are around twenty?" Bridge asked.

"That's because I really am about twenty one years old, at least on my homeworld it was," cleared up Kat.

Bridge did the math in his head. "So you age seven times slower than humans, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. Approximately seven Earth years equals one of ours."

"Syd would be jealous," Bridge remarked. "So, how long can you live for?"

"A very long time Bridge," Kat answered. "Just leave it at that."

"Alright."

* * *

Time passed, as another couple, this time alien, walked past, chatting animatedly. The sight caused Bridge to have another thought. 

"Kat, have ever been out with anyone? 'Cos we never see you actually dating someone, and there are always rumours floating about that change daily…"

"The last time I went out on a date was during my last year at the Science Academy, Bridge. Since then, no, I haven't. Also, you said something about rumours?" prompted Kat.

"Yeah, they're always there. It's amazing. Almost half of it has to do with you and the fact that people assume you are secretly dating someone. One day it's Commander Cruger-" Bridge was interrupted by a loud, frustrated sigh from Kat.

"Why the hell do people always assume that I go out and have or do something with Doggie?" she muttered angrily. She saw Bridge's look.

"Not in that sense, Bridge."

Bridge continued. "Then, people are saying that you go out with Boom, because I think everyone, even Cruger, knows that Boom has this massive crush on you. And the fact that you two often work alone together sparks a lot of conversation." He paused. "Did you know that Boom has a crush on you?"

"Yes I do know that he does have a crush on me. It's pretty obvious, especially when you work with him for a large part of the day, Bridge," Kat answered.

"So, that rules out any relationship between you and Cruger-" another sigh stopped him.

"Bridge! There is no relationship between Doggie and me! There never will be a relationship between Doggie and me! He's married, for crying out loud. And we were close friends a best, associates at worst," cried Kat.

"Ok, I get it now. And so there is also little chance of getting you and Boom together as well, so there goes anymore rumours about those topics." He paused in thought again. "How about Doctor Felix?" Bridge asked. "Isn't he the same species as you?"

Kat sighed. "Yes, Doctor Felix is the same species as me. However, I am actually older than him, by about three Earth years. So we share a sort of older sister younger brother type of relationship, so it's hardly likely that we'll get together. Now, please stop with the questions about my rather dead personal life. You're starting to become like Syd, both of you playing matchmaker," pleaded Kat.

"Alright. It still was a fun conversation though," Bridge mused thoughtfully. "I suppose we learnt a lot about each other, which isn't too surprising, because we never really talk like this, you know, one on one conversations, because we've been so busy, and it might give the wrong impression to the wrong people," Bridge continued on as Kat drained the last of her coffee. She wiped her mouth, and then pulled out a few notes to pay for the bill, just as Bridge did, with the same intentions.

Thus, another argument broke out about the payer of the bill, with Kat stating that it was her in essence who had asked Bridge out, while Bridge was going on about it being a gentlemanly thing to do, to pay the bill. The argument was concluded when it was reached that Kat would pay the bill, while Bridge left behind the tip.

As they stood up, Bridge glanced at the watch on Kat's wrist. It was close to eight now, the two having spent two hours conversing. Still, there was plenty of time left, and Bridge didn't feel like returning to the Delta Command Base so early, with Kat sharing the same sentiments.

"How about we go for a walk?" Kat suggested, and Bridge hastily agreed. The two set off, and rather than walking into the sunset, they walked into the bright, artificial lights of Newtech Square.

* * *

Another two hours later, a happy and content pair walked towards the Delta Command Base, looming closer and closer as they walked towards it. As Kat and Bridge walked, Kat couldn't help but to let a satisfactory purr rumble out from the depths of her throat. Bridge stared at her. 

"What?"

"You purred Kat."

"So? Perhaps I'm just happy. You're a psychic. You should know," Kat said.

"Yeah, but I never really thought that you purred. It sounded, like a, well, cat," Bridge said in return. They fell back into silence, and walked.

As they got closer, they contemplated the night silently. It was interesting, to say in the least. The two had learned a great deal about each other, and were closer than before. When they reached the doors that led to the lobby of the Base, Kat punched in her access and security code, and the door slid open to allow them access to the darkened lobby.

There were no guards patrolling, and the lobby was deserted, compared to four hours ago, when it was packed full. Kat and Bridge used the stairs to ascend up to their quarters, and before either of them knew it, they were standing outside the door that led to the B-Squad's dormitories.

Kat was still trying to make up her mind when Bridge said "Well, goodnight Kat. It was fun talking to you, and thanks for the support."

Kat smirked. "Same to you Bridge."

After that sentence, Kat made up her mind. She leaned forward, tilted her head down, being the taller of the two, and pressed her lips against Bridge's, much to his shock and surprise. The kiss lasted but a moment, and Kat slowly pulled away, leaving Bridge somewhat dazed and out of breath.

"Goodnight Bridge," she called back as she strolled down the hallway towards the elevator that would take her to her quarters. Bridge stared after Kat as she walked away, and when the doors of the elevator opened, Kat stepped inside and turned to face Bridge. Kat gave a wave, and smiled as the elevator closed, jumped up, and took Kat away. Bridge stared for a few more seconds, before turning around and walking into his room, still shocked at the kiss Kat had given him.

Life was different now. _Different, and interesting_, Bridge mused as a serene expression made its way on his face, and as he finished his reflection, he fell into sleep. Levels above, Kat had a similar expression on her face as she slept, her heart beating away softly, continuing it's never ending work.

Life seemed so surreal and serene after a reflection.

* * *

A.N: Well, there it is. The end of the originally one, but now two part series 'Serene Reflections'. I really hoped you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it, especially the kiss... Maybe it'll inspire others to write more Kat/Bridge…. 

On to more serious (kind of…) matters, PLEASE READ THIS PART. Originally, this was where I intended to draw the line. And I will draw a line here, as this is finished. But, do you want a sequel of sorts? I really have no idea where to go, but, I'm willing to try. So, if you really want a sequel, let me know in your review. So, I shall see you next time I write.


	3. Epilogue

Serene Reflections

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I do not own Power Rangers. If I did…then you wouldn't be reading this. You'd be watching it, hehehe….

* * *

"Come on Bridge. Rise and shine." 

The voice slowly coaxed Bridge out of his sleep. He rolled over onto his side. "No, give me a few more minutes," he mumbled, much like he always did.

"Brriiiiidddggee, time to wake up…" the voice persisted. And Bridge persisted in his attempts to stay in bed and in the realm of sleep.

"Still not five minutes, give me another five minutes," Bridge moaned, still half-asleep. This time, a hand gently shook his arm.

"Bridge, I'm serious." The voice still held more than a hint of amusement in it.

"…two more minutes, Commander," Bridge said, before trying to cover his head with his pillow.

"If only I was," the voice muttered. The owner of the voice resigned themselves to do whatever was necessary to get Bridge up.

Bridge was enjoying himself deep in sleep when he felt something warm and wet apply itself to his neck. At first, he didn't pay much attention to it; he was too immersed in the warmth and comfort of his bed. That was, he didn't pay much attention to it until it moved and reached the area just below his ear; his ticklish spot. He gave a yelp a bolted upright, almost banging his head against Kat's, who recoiled fast enough so that both of them avoided a nasty early morning headache.

Sinking back into bed before sitting upright, he looked up, and finally noticed it was Kat who was looming over him. He stared up at her emerald green eyes. "Umm, morning?" he offered.

Kat gave him an amused look. "It's about time you woke up. I was thinking about throwing a bucketful of cold water over you; luckily I had an inkling about where you were ticklish…" she let the statement drift off.

"Yeah, so, why'd you wake me?" he asked.

"Who doesn't wake up in the morning?"

Bridge gave another moan and fell back into bed. "Give me another five minutes," he said.

Kat sighed. Bridge could be surprisingly stubborn at times. She counted to ten, slowly. "Time's up Bridge," Kat announced after her countdown had finished, before leaning over him again, ready to apply the same treatment she did minutes ago. Bridge saw this, and instinctively rolled to get away-

-and hit the floor below. He landed with a _thud_. "Oww," was his only comment as he stayed where he was for several heartbeats before picking himself up. Glancing around, he saw no Kat, and luckily, no-one on the bed opposite. For once, Bridge was glad that he didn't have a roommate. It would have been more embarrassing had there been someone else in the room.

Rubbing his head, Bridge wondered why that of all things, he had a dream involving Kat, himself, and a bed. _And everything that a good bed should have as well_, he thought.

Sure, he had been closer to Kat than most of the others, except Boom perhaps, but definitely closer than the other's in B-Squad. Kat and himself never really did anything out of the ordinary, until last night.

Last night. Last night, Kat had invited him to go out for a drink. And afterwards, she had kissed him. Kissed him. It wasn't his first kiss, but definitely the first one he had since a long time ago. But it presented a problem for Bridge. Did Kat really like him? Or was that kiss just there to help him along with his confidence? He really needed to know. Maybe if he could find Kat, he could get some answers.

As he threw on the remainder of his clothes, Bridge wondered if Kat was around, before realising that Kat was almost always in the Delta Command Base. He really needed to talk to her now, more than anything, to find out the purpose or reason for why she had kissed him.

After getting dressed, Bridge walked out of his room, and feeling hungry, headed towards the cafeteria. Upon entering the room, he quickly decided against staying in the cafeteria, mostly due to the massive amount of people, human and alien in the room.

Looking around, Bridge couldn't see Sky or Z anywhere, and decided that the two were most likely in the Rec Room. While he wasn't staying, Bridge did walk in and grabbed a few slices of toast, all buttered up in his usual fashion, before walking out and heading deeper into the Base, in the direction of Kat's lab.

* * *

On the way, Bridge rounded a corner that would take him to Kat's lab just as Boom ran straight around it from the opposite end. Resulting in the two of them running into each other, and landing heavily. 

Bridge got to his feet first, rubbing his chest before offering a hand to Boom, who took it. "What's the rush, Boom?" Bridge asked Kat's assistant, who was looking distressed; not exactly unusual for him.

"I just accidentally fried the mainframe of nearly two-thirds of the Command Centre's computers and systems!" Boom said.

"So why were you running away?" Bridge asked.

"You know how Kat always has to repair the things that I break. And we all know how much she has on her plate at the moment, with the S.W.A.T. Flyers and all that. I don't want to add anything more to what she has to do already, and I feel pretty guilty over giving her more work to do," stated Boom sadly.

"Oh, well, why not try to fix it with Kat? You can help her do something else while she does the really technical stuff," suggested Bridge.

"Oh, alright. Thanks a lot Bridge, but I think I'll pop to cafeteria a bit."

"Alright. By the way, do you happen to know where Kat is?" Bridge asked.

"Umm, she should be in her lab, I think. Come to think of it, it's like she's hardly left the lab," Boom added. Bridge smiled at the untrue statement, as he walked down the corridor, the door to Kat's lab just in sight. As he approached the door, he mentally revised the question he would ask her. _Keep it simple, greet her, then ask her the question_, Bridge finalised as the door came up in front of him. Stopping just out of the door's sensor range, Bridge took a deep breath and walked through the door.

He saw many things, typical of Kat's lab. The feline herself was sitting at her desk, typing away at the computer.

"Morning Kat." The scientist looked up and smiled.

"Hello Bridge. Did you want something?" she asked.

"Yes, I do in fact…" As Bridge walked out of its sensor range, the door slid shut quietly, obscuring the two from any prying eyes, as they engaged in the very thing that had brought them to where they were right now.


End file.
